Helicopter company showing signs of progress

A kit helicopter company is showing signs of recovering from the crash of its first production model, an economic development official told the Red Willow County Commissioners today.

Production of key parts in a certified specialty shop in Norton puts McCook's involvement in the project in question, however.

The company, Pawnee Aviation, planned to exhibit the helicopter in a major airshow in Wisconsin late in July, but the company's answering machine in McCook indicated the shop would be closed until this week.

In a letter to the commissioners, who oversee a revolving fund loan to the company, Rex Nelson of the McCook Economic Development Corp., said Pawnee's use of the ISO 9000, Boeing certified shop "makes it less likely, however, that if the company goes into production that the machine work would be done locally."

While the latest helicopter's rotor performs much better than the original craft, they had experience engine difficulties and planned to take the helicopter to Wisconsin, regardless of whether or not the issue was resolved.

Nelson said he would be in contact with the commissioners regarding the situation following Pawnee officials' return from the air show.